Gander International marks 75 years in operation

The airport in Gander is celebrating a big milestone — marking 75 years of operations.

Gander International Airport first opened as a commercial airport, but quickly shifted its focus to the military during World War II.

The site was a critical refuelling stop for transatlantic flights from the United States for years.

The airport also hosted hundreds of celebrities, including royalty, political leaders and rock stars.

CEO Gary Vey said the airport's role in aviation has continued to change throughout the years.

"The big thing that I see is the dependence away from international to domestic," Vey said.

"Our domestic has gone up 125 per cent in the last six years, and we see that will probably double again in the next five or seven years."

According to Vey, these changes in the types of services offered are attributed to workers flying to and from Alberta and Labrador.

The airport will kick off a year of celebrations with an open house on Saturday starting at noon, including soup, coffee and birthday cake.